[Satnews] The Space and Missile Systems Center released a solicitation on January 8 seeking proposals for the Global Positioning System’s GPS III Space Vehicles 11+ Phase 1 Production Readiness Feasibility Assessment contract.

This solicitation is for a competitive, firm-fixed-price acquisition with up to three contracts not to exceed $6 million, with a base contract of $5 million and a 26 month period of performance, plus two $0.5 million options with a six month period of performance for each option awarded, for a total possible period of performance of 38 months. SMC’s GPS Directorate intends to award the GPS III Phase 1 contract in the third quarter of fiscal year 2016.

The scope of this effort includes insight to the contractor’s readiness efforts in preparation for the Phase 2 competition for production SVs and includes access to design artifacts as well as a demonstration of navigation payload capability.

GPS III SV11+ will use the current GPS III SV01-08 requirements baseline with the addition of a redesigned Nuclear Detonation Detection System Government Furnished Equipment (GFE) hosted payload, a Search and Rescue/GPS GFE hosted payload, a Laser Retro-reflector Array GFE hosted payload, Unified S-Band compliance capability, and a regional military protection capability. No changes are allowed to the GPS Next Generation Operational Control System or Military GPS User Equipment interfaces.

Operated by U.S. Air Force Space Command, the GPS constellation provides precise positioning, navigation and timing services worldwide seven days a week, 24-hours a day.

“Industry told us they were ready to compete for the GPS III space vehicles. We listened and are looking forward to working with industry to assess the feasibility of a follow-on, competitive production contract,” said Col. Steve Whitney, director of SMC’s GPS Directorate.